Suspension chain head for mechanically assembled sling chain systems

Abstract

A suspension chain head for mechanically assembled sling chain systems is proposed. The suspension head has a U-shaped suspension member with two legs and a web provided with a central portion and two lateral fork portions. A connecting member is pivotally mounted on the web of the suspension member and has two legs received in slots of the web and a bracket connecting the legs with one another, wherein the connecting member has a receiving opening with a width corresponding to the thickness of the chains to be suspended. The central portion of the web of the suspension member has a thickness at most equal to the thickness of the chains to be suspended, and the forked portions of the web of the suspension member have at least the thickness of the central portion of the web.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. 
     
       1. A suspension chain head for mechanically assembled sling chain systems, comprising a substantially U-shaped suspension member having two legs and a web having a central portion and two lateral fork portions arranged mirrorsymmetrical at opposite sides of said central portion so as to form two parallel slots therebetween; and a connecting member pivotably mounted on said web of said suspension member and arranged for receiving chains of a predetermined thickness, said connecting member having two legs received in said slots of said suspension member and a bracket connecting said legs of said connecting member with one another, said legs and said bracket of said connecting members being dimensioned corresponding to an inner width of a link of the chains to be suspended, said legs of said connecting member extending parallel to one another and inwardly so that said bracket is omega-shaped, said connecting member having a receiving opening having a width greater than the thickness of the chains to be suspended, said central portion of said web of said suspension member having a thickness at most equal to the thickness of the chains to be suspended, and said fork portions of said web of said suspension member having at least the thickness of said central portion of said web of said suspension member. 
     
     
       2. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 1; and further comprising a pivot pin pivotally mounting said connecting member on said suspension member. 
     
     
       3. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 1, wherein the thickness of said central portion of said web of said suspension member is insignificantly greater than the thickness of the chains. 
     
     
       4. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 1, wherein said central portion of said web of said suspension member has a projection extending toward said bracket of said connecting member and spaced from the latter by a distance which is smaller than the thickness of the chains to be suspended. 
     
     
       5. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 1; and further comprising a pivot pin pivotably mounting said connecting member on said suspension member and having a longitudinal axis, a projection of said central portion extending transversely to said pivot pin at both sides of said suspension member substantially along a circular arc with a center on said longitudinal axis of said pivot pin, said projection having such a radial circumference that a radial distance between the latter and said bracket of said connecting member remains identical in the entire pivoting region of said connecting member. 
     
     
       6. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 4, wherein said projection of said central portion of said web of said suspension member is nose-shaped. 
     
     
       7. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 4, wherein said connecting member has a cam arranged opposite to said projection and forming in said bracket of said connecting member two separate pockets for suspending the chains. 
     
     
       8. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 1, wherein said bracket of said connecting member has an outer surface, said fork portions of said web of said suspension member having end sections extending at both sides beyond said legs of said connecting member and transiting into wedge-shaped tongues at identical distances from said outer surface of said bracket of said connecting member. 
     
     
       9. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 1, wherein said suspension member has a bracket part which is separate from and connected with said web, said web having pocket holes and said bracket part having parallel pins insertable into said pocket holes and having through openings; and further comprising a pivot pin extending through said legs of said connecting member and said through openings so as to connect said pins of said bracket part with said web of said suspension member. 
     
     
       10. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 9, wherein said pocket holes in said web have lateral cutouts to both said legs of said connecting member, said cutouts being formed so that said pins of said bracket part of said suspension member are located immediately adjacent to said legs of said connecting member. 
     
     
       11. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 9, wherein said pins of said bracket part of said suspension member are provided with flattened sections at both sides of said legs of said connecting member. 
     
     
       12. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 9, wherein said web of said suspension member has an upper edge at a predetermined height, said pins of said bracket part of said suspension member having steps at the height of said upper edge of said web. 
     
     
       13. A suspension chain head as defined in claim 1, wherein said suspension member is to be suspended on a load hook having a predetermined mouth width, said suspension member having a bracket part with an upper suspending region which has a cross section of a thickness corresponding to the mouth width of the load hook.